Skip to main content

Reminder: Unauthorized Force Post Transactions No Longer Accepted by Visa

Payment Processing

A great reminder from one of our underwriting bank partners Elavon:

Earlier this year, we made you aware that Elavon began the process of implementing controls to prevent forced transactions, which have no matching authorization from the issuer, from being processed, settled or funded in response to Visa’s force post mandate. 


Visa’s force post mandate:


Visa requires controls to be in place to prevent unauthorized transactions (sales and refunds) from entering its network. Transactions that bypass the normal authorization process expected by the card issuers, commonly referred to as “force posted transactions,” can result in costly chargebacks, fines and assessments that can significantly affect the merchant’s bottom line. 


What this means for you:


If a transaction has not been authorized or does not have a matching authorization code from Elavon and the card-issuing bank, it may be declined or voided, and you will not receive payment for that transaction. In accordance with other card brand guidelines for forced authorizations, these controls are also expanding to include all payment card transactions, not just Visa.


As a best practice, we encourage you to:

 

  • Review and update your payment acceptance practices so that all transactions are properly tied to valid authorizations.
  • Submit force posted authorizations within seven days of the date the authorizations are issued.1


Please feel free to contact clientsuccess@ascentpaymentsolutions.com if you have any questions about force post transactions.


1 This time limit applies specifically to force posted transactions. 
Normal transaction authorizations may still be valid for longer periods.


 

Categories


Get in Touch

Sign up for news and updates